Despite its universally promising concept, the 2024 horror film Tarot fails to live up to its horror genre expectations, essentially struggling to engage its audience effectively — unless you’re really just a true horror devotee who’s open to experiencing any flick that’s available to you. And even then, for those who watched the film, disappointment is likely looming in your fourth house.

Lackluster and Ineffective Scares

One of the primary disappointments of Tarot stems from its inability to deliver truly terrifying moments. Or even remotely creepy ones. The scares throughout the film feel extremely forced and predictable, failing to elicit the intended fear from viewers. Instead of building tension gradually, the movie relies on oddly crafted jump scares that quickly lose their impact or don’t offer any real purpose to begin with.

Even on its first watch (something that generally redeems a less-than-thrilling horror flick), the attempts at eerie elements of Tarot generally fall flat, making it difficult for the audience to become invested in the surface-level story.

One-Dimensional Characters Hindered by the Script

Another notable issue with the execution of Tarot is its underdeveloped (or overly-energized) characters, who are limited by a muddled and uninspired script. Because, despite having a pool of talent to pull from, the film’s use of the script and pacing fails to allow its actors to shine in these roles. Many characters’ inclusions in the film are typically reduced to clichés and stereotypes, lacking depth and complexity as they begin to get picked off. And when your core characters lose interest in their dying friends as the film progresses, you know something is a little off.

As a result, the audience also struggles to form meaningful connections with the protagonists, diminishing the emotional impact of their struggles throughout the movie. There’s also that ending which felt pretty clear within the film’s first 20 minutes — but for fans of specific archetypes, that could also be a positive depending on the perspective of the audience.

Untapped Potential

While Tarot presents an intriguing concept with its focus on the mysterious world of tarot cards and fate, the film ultimately falters with its final product. The potential for a unique and captivating narrative is evident due to its very real source material (tarot itself) and interesting ideas, but the movie fails to fully explore this fascinating premise in the way that horror viewers would typically gravitate toward.

Furthermore, the storyline feels uncertain of its own goals at times, with surface-level plot points that are introduced but never evolve into something compelling enough to generate a stronger response. As a result, the film misses the opportunity to delve deeper into the mythology of tarot, which will hopefully get another chance in the spotlight at one point in the future of horror cinema.

Score: 4/10

Unfortunately, Tarot falls short of its potential, and the cards don’t suggest that a franchise is in its future. While there are glimpses of promise scattered throughout, the overall execution of the script, scares, and narrative fails to engage and captivate the audience, ultimately resulting in a forgettable horror experience. But for fellow horror genre lovers — at least it’s still worth at least one watch as a pre-fall, spooky season appetizer.